Zipper configuration and embodiments thereof

ABSTRACT

A zipper traverses five (5) or seven (7) edges of a container (bag, box, or case), forming a two-sided “lid”, providing visibility and access through two (2) sides simultaneously. Zipper is applied to the edges of the storage area and the “lid” of any container (bag, box, or case) with gusseted corners forming a storage area of any depth or dimension. The zipper extends from the rear corner of one side to the rear corner of the alternate side by traversing along the edges of the first side, and turning perpendicularly or diagonally at the gusseted corners, or near the corners, continuing across the bottom of the second side, forming the second side of the lid.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pending: Application No. 61/368,828

Filed: Jul. 29, 2010

Title: Zipper configuration and embodiments thereof.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many bags, boxes, cases, or containers that are used for packing,organizing, toting, storing, or displaying items are structured suchthat they are closed with a zipper and, in all known cases of the priorart, this zipper is included on one (1) edge allowing opening andclosing of one end, or three (3) edges allowing opening and closing ofone side. All prior art embodies one of these two configurations. Theseprior configurations do not allow easy access to, or visibility of,items in the lower half of the container. Thus, items must be unpackedor displaced to retrieve those lower items.

The claimed zipper configuration is an improvement which allows thecontainer (bag, box, or case) to not only be fully opened on one side,as with any prior lid or opening, but opens a second side simultaneouslyso the contents are viewable and accessible from both the top and sidewithout unpacking the entire contents of the container. The embodimentof this zipper configuration provides a zippered container closureconfiguration for improved organizing, packing, storing, toting, anddisplaying items in a clean, visible, and easily accessible manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Prior art for zippered containers (bags, boxes, or cases) comprises azipper on one (1) or three (3) edges of one surface providing accessthrough one side or top. This invention comprises a zipper configurationimplemented on five (5) (or seven (7) edges if slightly offset) toprovide access through two (2) sides simultaneously. Likewise, thisinvention claims any container (bag, box or case) which embodies claimedzipper configuration.

This invention provides a zippered closure configuration which can beincorporated in any container to provide for organizing, packing,storing, toting, and displaying items in a neat and organized manner,independent of the larger case, drawer or shelf into or onto which itwill be placed, while providing visibility and accessibility to itscontents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to thedrawing comprised of the following figures:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the first embodiment of the zipperconfiguration on a closed, soft sided container with the zipper on five(5) edges.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the first embodiment as described in FIG.1, zipper on five (5) sides, with the zipper in an open configurationand lid rolled back.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the second embodiment of the zipperconfiguration on a closed, soft sided container with the zipper on seven(7) edges.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the second embodiment of the zipper on acontainer with edges as described in FIG. 3, the container being ofsignificantly different proportions, with optional handles on side andfront.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Zipper is applied to the edge of the storage compartment and to the edgeof the lid of any container (bag, box or case) with gusseted cornersforming a storage area of any depth or dimension. This zipper extendsfrom the rear corner of one side to the rear corner of the alternateside, while traversing three edges of a second side. The zipper followsthe contour of the side walls, and at or near the front corner (FIGS. 1and 3 respectively), turns perpendicularly or diagonally from top tobottom (again, FIGS. 1 and 3 respectively), to form a dip in the frontwall. This dip in the front wall is the means by which the contents ofthe container can be accessed from that second side.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the first embodiment of the zipperconfiguration on a closed, soft sided container designed with the zipperon five (5) edges: (1) top left, (2) perpendicular from top to bottomleft, (3) across at (or near) the bottom, (4) perpendicular from bottomto top right, and (5) top right. The zipper configuration on five (5)edges, providing visibility and accessibility on 2 sides simultaneously,is implemented by zipper traversing:

-   -   from the back left corner of one side, along the left edge of        that side moving toward the front (1);    -   from the front left corner, continuing down, perpendicularly or        diagonally, at or near the left edge to the bottom (2);    -   across, at or near the bottom, to the right, continuing to a        point at or near the right corner (3);    -   from the bottom, perpendicularly or diagonally, to the top at        the upper right corner (4); and    -   from that front right corner proceeding along that top right        edge to the back right corner (5).

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the first embodiment of the zipperconfiguration on an open, soft sided container, showing the visibilityand accessibility through 2 sides simultaneously. The five (5) edges ofthis configuration are as identified above [FIG. 1].

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the second embodiment of the zipperconfiguration on a closed, soft sided container with the zipper on seven(7) edges, being only a slight variance of the 5-sided implementation.Five edges are as in FIG. 1 with edges (2) and (4) now diagonal. Theadditional edges are (6) and (7), perpendicular to edges (1) and (5)respectively, traversing a short distance along the top before beginningthe diagonal to the bottom edge. The zipper configuration on seven (7)edges, providing visibility and accessibility on 2 sides simultaneously,is implemented by zipper traversing:

-   -   from the back left corner of one side, along the left edge of        that side moving toward the front (1);    -   from the front left corner, turning perpendicularly from the        side, across the front a short distance to a point near the        front corner (6);    -   turning downward, perpendicularly or diagonally, at or near the        left edge to the bottom (2);    -   across, at or near the bottom, to the right, continuing to a        point at or near the right corner (3);    -   from the bottom, perpendicularly or diagonally, to a point on        the front, top, near the upper right corner (4);    -   turning to the right along the top to the top, right corner (7),        and    -   from that front right corner proceeding along that top right        edge to the back right corner (5).

The embodiment of this zipper configuration, or its variation, in anycontainer (bag, box or case) made of any soft or hard material, such asnylon, vinyl, leather, or stiff board, is also a claim of thisinvention. The zipper may be single- or bi-directional with one or twopull-tab mechanisms. The zipper configuration claimed is independent ofthe dimensions of the bag, box, case, or container in which it'sembodied, as demonstrated in FIG. 4. The application of handles isindependent of the zipper configuration of this invention.

1. The zipper configuration with zipper on five (5) edges, incorporatingtwo adjacent sides, providing visibility and accessibility on 2 sidessimultaneously.
 2. The zipper configuration with zipper on seven (7)edges, incorporating two adjacent sides, providing visibility andaccessibility on 2 sides simultaneously.
 3. (canceled)
 4. Any container(bag, box or case) which embodies the zipper configuration as inclaim
 1. 5. Any container (bag, box or case) which embodies the zipperconfiguration as in claim 2.